


Valentine's Day, Avengers Style

by Miko, NocturnalRites



Series: One Step Sideways [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Avengers Dating Advice, Caplicity, Established Relationship, F/M, Humor, Romance, Slice of Life, Star Spangled Smoak, Stelicity, Steve's Love Life is a Spectator Sport, The Avengers Are Good Bros, The Avengers are little shits, Valentine's Day, relationship milestone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 08:17:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9875876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miko/pseuds/Miko, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NocturnalRites/pseuds/NocturnalRites
Summary: What do you do when you can save the world, but not your first Valentine's date? If you're Steve Rogers, you turn to the people who always have your back. Problem is, the Avengers and dating advice don't always mix...This story is set post-'Soldier's Heart', but it contains no spoilers beyond the established relationship. It stands alone and can be read separately.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jayleeg on Tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Jayleeg+on+Tumblr).
  * Inspired by [Felicity and the First Avenger](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1311580) by [NocturnalRites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NocturnalRites/pseuds/NocturnalRites). 



> So many thanks to all of you who have given us such support and encouragement, particularly on Tumblr where we don't have a chance to say 'thank you' directly. Many thanks especially to Jayleeg for sending us the Valentine that inspired this story. LadyofGlencairn, NocturnalRites would also like to wish you a happy belated birthday with this one.
> 
> On behalf of both of us and our favorite crossover pairing, Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day!

It wasn’t the first time a mission had run long for the Avengers. Far from it. On this run they’d found themselves facing a larger enemy force than expected, but they’d handled it, everyone was in one piece, and Steve counted that as a victory no matter how long it had taken.

It wasn’t even the first time a mission running long had caused him to be late for a date with Felicity, or miss it entirely. She understood the difficulties of being a hero all too well, and he always made it up to her.

It _was_ , however, the first time that a mission had caused him to be late for a date with Felicity _on Valentine’s Day_. Not just any Valentine's Day, either - their first together and the first time Steve had ever had a girl to celebrate the holiday with at all. 

They’d both been looking forward to this for weeks. He had reservations for a candlelight dinner at a swanky restaurant, followed by tickets to a special ‘Prom Night’ themed Valentine’s event. She’d once mentioned wistfully that she’d never had a chance to go to hers, and it seemed like the perfect night to finally get to dance with his girl. And after that…

Well. He didn't know _exactly_ what would follow, only that Felicity hinted at plans for a private celebration that would take the rest of the night. 

Now he was already late, and by the time they landed, debriefed, and cleaned up he was going to have to commandeer the Quinjet to make it to Starling City tonight at all. He’d called ahead to let her know, of course, and she’d said it was fine.

Of course she had. She always did. But he could hear the real disappointment in her voice. That tone struck him twice through the heart; it said how much the night meant to her and therefore how much _he_ mattered to her, but also how much it mattered that they’d miss the chance.

There wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change the circumstances, so the best he could do was try to make it up to her. Again. But _how_? This was no ordinary missed date.

What he needed was advice. The problem was getting it from the one person whose opinion he trusted without alerting the rest of the self-proclaimed experts on board the 'jet, all of whom delighted in treating his love life as a spectator sport. 

He hung around not-so-nonchalantly until he spotted Natasha alone in the wing where the weapons were stored. She was cleaning and oiling her Glocks, but looked up with a smile when he approached. “What’s up?”

Steve paused and raked a hand through his hair, trying to work up the nerve to ask. Her eyebrow rose and her expression changed to one of curiosity and teasing interest, and he cursed himself for the tell. 

Nothing for it now. “You’ve never led me wrong with advice for Felicity yet - even if I wish you’d kept your nose out of it a few times. I’m not just going to be late, I’m damn near going to miss Valentine’s entirely. Should I bring her roses or something to try to make up for it?”

“Oh, no.” Natasha's red curls bounced emphatically as she shook her head. “Roses are fine when it’s part of your plan ahead of time, but as an apology gift they’re _trite_. They’re every man’s go-to ‘get out of jail free’ card, which means it’s clear the guy didn’t bother to put any real thought or effort into the gift.”

Steve didn’t realize that Clint had wandered within hearing range until the other man clapped him on the shoulder. “Speaking from experience, there’s not gonna be a single store left in America that still has roses in stock, either. Nat’s not wrong, though. Roses are good, but if you’re coming home this late you need a save-your-ass present that still gets you a free pass for some fun.”

“What about perfume?” Natasha suggested.“Something expensive, not the cheap drugstore stuff that smells like bug spray. I could recommend a few scents she’d probably like.”

“Nah, stores'll be closing by the time we land. He's gonna need something fast. There's a fancy lingerie store on the same block as the Tower." Clint gave Steve a conspiratorial nod. "Lingerie, man, that's the ticket. S'what I'm getting for Laura. Gift for her to unwrap, you get to unwrap her, win-win all the way." He held up his hands and squinted, squaring off an imaginary picture. "Get something skimpy, the kind that's mostly lace and strings and --"

Steve strangled on a cough as the back of his neck burned with embarrassment. Was Clint suggesting they go _together_ to buy the lingerie? Not only no, but _hell_ , no. That would be more than he _ever_ wanted to know about what tripped Barton's trigger. 

"Clint," Natasha interrupted, "Do not recommend butt floss. No woman likes butt floss."

“What?” Clint spluttered. “Laura likes it. She thinks it looks sexy."

Natasha smirked. "No, she loves you and knows what _you_ think looks sexy." 

"Whoa, hang on." Clint held up a hand, staring at her. "You're saying Laura's telling you stuff she's not telling me?"

"Do you know the meaning of the words 'girl talk'?"

"Hey, we're on kid number three. I gotta be onto _something_." 

"It's a simple process, Barton." Great. Tony. The one person whose input Steve absolutely _hadn't_ wanted. "Tab A, Slot B, even you should be able to figure it out. What are we talking about?"

" _Nothing,_ " Steve snapped, then took a deep breath. "Look, I just --"

Clint overrode him as if he hadn't spoken. "Valentine's Day apology gifts. Cap's gonna miss his date and he's trying to cover his ass."

"Yeah?" Tony had a distinct gleam in his eyes, one that usually boded ill for Steve. “I know a thing or two about apology gifts.”

"Yes, but he wants one that actually _works_ , Tony." Pepper's long-suffering sigh came clearly through the speakerphone. Apparently Tony had interrupted a conversation with her in order to weigh in on the discussion… probably while making his own ‘going to be late for Valentine’s Day’ call.

Yeah, Steve was far from shocked that Tony had experience with apology gifts, if that was how he treated his girl. Honestly, Pepper was a saint. 

Undaunted, Tony rubbed his hands together. "Romanoff is right. You need something custom, something to show you've been thinking about her."

“Tony, I swear, if you say a word about stuffed animals…” Pepper began.

Steve frowned. “What’s wrong with stuffed animals?” They’d certainly been one of Bucky’s favorite gifts to girls back in the day, though usually he won them playing midway games to show off for his dates. Ordering one from a store wouldn’t demonstrate quite the same amount of determination to impress.

“Pep, I thought you said you liked the giant stuffed rabbit?” There was no mistaking the genuine hurt in Tony’s voice.

“I said I appreciated the thought you put into it, Tony. Which I absolutely do. Steve, what about candy? There's a wonderful Belgian chocolatier not far from the Tower. She's not allergic to any foods, is she?”

"She's allergic to nuts." Steve racked his brain. "I don't know about anything else."

"Too bad. Better play it safe until you find out, then," Pepper advised. "Allergic reactions and romance don't go together."

"Hey, I _said_ I was sorry about the strawberries." Tony snapped his fingers and pointed at Steve. "I've got it. Smoak's all about the tech. What about a giant teddy bear robot? That would be a great Valentine's present!"

Pepper said nothing, but Steve thought the silence itself said plenty.

“Presents?” Thor's booming voice threatened to rattle the rivets out of the Quinjet's hull. “A wise decision, my friend. Gifts of wooing are especially important on days marked for fertility rituals such as your Valentine's."

"So what do they do for holidays like that on Asgard? Ow!" Clint unsuccessfully tried to dodge a punch on the arm from Natasha. "Inquiring minds want to know."

"Which leaves you out, Barton, but _I'd_ like to hear," Tony put in. 

Though Stark was safely out of range for a first strike from Nat, she still skewered him with a glare. Steve stifled a groan, but didn't even try to stop Thor. At this point, the conversation was a car crash waiting to happen and all he could do was wait for the wreckage to settle. 

"You jest, but courtship can be deadly on Asgard for a man who fails to show proper appreciation for his beloved." Thor lectured. "Fine baubles prove one's ability to provide for her should she deem you worthy. Rare gems are acceptable, but far better is something which demonstrates one's strength in battle as well. I had Asgard's finest artisan carve Jane's gift weeks ago. It is a necklace and a set of bracelets made from the horns of a bilgesnipe I brought down with my own hands." Thor crossed his arms. "I trust Jane shall be most appreciative."

Speechless would probably be more like it, Steve guessed. That was certainly Clint and Tony’s reaction, though Nat smirked and he could hear a not-quite-muffled snicker from Pepper.

"Great." Clint shook his head, regrouping. "Should've known _you'd_ be the guy in the crowd who got his shopping done early and made the rest of us look bad."

“Do not fault yourselves.” Thor casually flipped Mjolnir and caught it, looking smug. “I _am_ a god. Mere mortals cannot compare.”

Thor’s ego aside, jewelry wasn't a bad idea, except Steve had no clue what would be appropriate or how much he should spend. If he were going to make an investment like that, he'd want to get Felicity something special, not something he'd grabbed at the last minute. 

“Uh… okay. Horns of a bilgesnipe. Not really something I can get my hands on in the next few hours. Got any idea what other kind of jewelry might work?” 

"It need not be anything so unique," Thor assured him. "All it must do is be impressive enough to show your mighty passion."

Oh, hell. Sighing, Steve rubbed his temple, which throbbed with the beginnings of a headache. _There_ was the conversational car crash he'd known was bound to happen.

"So exactly how big does his _passion_ have to be in order to qualify as mighty?" Tony inquired. 

"You know, Stark, if you gotta _ask_ if it's enough…" Clint grinned. 

"Hey. I'm just asking for some guidelines here. There's a display of mighty passion and there's overcompensating."

“Are you asking for Cap or for yourself, Stark? If it's for you, don't worry,” Natasha's tone dripped false reassurance. “I’m sure Pepper appreciates the thought.”

“Hey, Pepper appreciates _all_ of my thoughts, because all of my thoughts are brilliant, thank you very much...”

While they were wrangling, Steve backed away and slunk off to the pilot's seat, putting the headset on to block out the rest of conversation. He still had a problem to solve, and listening to them all bust each other's chops, while entertaining, wasn't going to be of any use to him.

There was one thing he could do to try to expedite things, at least. He keyed on the headset.

“Hill? Any reason the debriefing can’t wait for tomorrow? _Late_ tomorrow?” If he could drop the others off and take the jet straight to Starling, he'd at least have a few hours left of the night to spend with Felicity, even if the dinner and the dance were a write-off.

“No good reason I can think of, and there’s nothing urgent pending here,” she assured him. “Oh, Steve, about the gift?”

Steve gritted his teeth, wishing he’d never brought the damn topic up. Had the whole _base_ been listening in? 

But it couldn't hurt to let Hill put in her two cents. At least he'd get another female opinion. “Yeah?”

Hill's voice softened with a touch of amusement. “Don’t _over_ -think it. As long as it’s from the heart, that’s what matters. If it's personal, even better." 

Personal, and from the heart. Steve eyed the compartment that held all his gear. He had a sketchbook, pencils, and a few other easy-to-transport art materials in there, because even with the speed of a Quinjet the flights could get long. 

“All right. I can do that." For the first time since he’d realized how late he was going to be, Steve smiled. "And Maria? Thanks.”

* * *

It was barely an hour short of midnight when Steve finally arrived at Felicity’s door. He’d snatched a quick shower on the ‘jet on the way, so he was presentable, even though he hadn’t had anything but a fresh uniform to change into. He’d ditched the helmet, at least… and she _did_ seem to have a thing for the uniform.

When she opened the door and let him in, the sight of her squeezed the breath out of his chest. Felicity was dolled up in something short and red that was just sheer enough to tease at curves and lace beneath but which didn't quite cover the garters clipped to the tops of her white silk stockings. Classier and sexier than anything he could have picked out - especially with Clint’s ‘help’ - and the kind of present he wanted to unwrap immediately.

But best of all was her smile. The knot of worry in Steve's gut unraveled at the sight. The smile that made him fall head over heels for her every time he saw it. 

"Hey, you. Happy Valentine's Day." Felicity tiptoed up to kiss him, slow and sweet, fingers stroking through his hair. Was she wearing perfume, or was it just the scent of her skin? Steve didn't know, but it was shorting out his brain as surely as the warm, inviting softness of her against him. 

“I, uh.” Damn it, why did he _still_ go tongue-tied when it mattered most with his girl? "Sorry I'm late. I got here as soon as I could."

Her second kiss was shorter than the first, but no less dizzying. "As long as you come home safely, I don't care how late you are." 

_Come home._ The fist around Steve's heart squeezed again in a wholly good way.

"I love you." He meant the words more every time he said them to her, but they were never easy for him to say. "You know that, don't you?"

"I do." Her indrawn breath had a bit of a ragged hitch to it. "I love you, too."

The words were a gift in and of themselves. Pulling her close, he held her tightly for a moment, face buried in her hair as he breathed her in. 

"I did make something for you," he said, the words muffled against her. "It ain't much, but I hope you like it." 

He drew back enough to hand her the valentine he'd made. Apprehension made his skin prickle hot, the way it used to the few times he'd nerved up to give a valentine to a girl he'd liked in school. It seemed like a good idea while he was making it, but now, he wasn't so sure. Felicity would never laugh at him, but what if she thought it was silly? 

She took it from him, her faintly puzzled frown shifting to a look of delight. He'd drawn a colored sketch of himself in a blue shirt with a star on the chest and the Avengers ‘letter jacket’ that he’d planned to wear to the Prom Night event. 

"You drew this? For me?" she asked, clearly pleased and touched. Then she turned it over and laughed. On the back, he'd drawn a naughty little pin-up sketch of her posed on a bed with messed up sheets, wearing nothing but the letter jacket, a few strategic folds of sheet and a wicked little smile.

"Is that okay?" Steve cleared his throat, suddenly nervous. While not quite explicit, it was still the most suggestive thing he'd drawn of her. "I thought about trying a poem, but I'm kinda lost after 'roses are red, violets are blue', and --"

"Are you joking? I love it!" Her quick, impulsive hug made the silky bit of nothing she wore flutter, giving him a welcome, if distracting, glimpse of creamy skin. "Did you bring the jacket with you?"

“No, it's still in New York. I came straight from the mission.” 

"I have an idea." She tipped her head to the side, considering. "I've got a program I was working on that I wanted to show to Tony and Maria. If I fly back with you tomorrow, think we'd have time for me to try it on?"

"You bet," Steve promised. Things were working out even better than he'd thought. "I'll take you out, too, try to make up a little for missing everything tonight."

"You haven't missed _everything_." Felicity tiptoed up again, lips brushing against his ear as she spoke, laughter rippling under her voice. "You aren't too late for _my_ Valentine's plans."

Steve sucked in a deep breath, wishing he'd worn something with a hell of lot more room for expansion. If she kept this up, he'd bust his pants like Banner. "Just let me get out of my uniform and you've got me all night, sweetheart."

"Oh, I'll get it off of you." Curling her hand around one of his harness straps, Felicity tugged him towards her bedroom. She glanced back over her shoulder at him, her smile matching the wicked curve in the sketch. "Eventually."

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If anyone with drawings skills happens to get inspired by the backside of Steve's card, I think we'd all appreciate it ^_~


End file.
